Life's Too Short
by cuz-CM's-awesome
Summary: Emily and Aaron made a drunken mistake and now they're both worried about the consequences. Just what will happen to snap them out of their fears?


**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds and I'm not making any profit from this story. **

**Summary: Emily and Aaron made a drunken mistake and now they're both worried about the consequences. Just what will happen to snap them out of their fears? **

**This story is my entry for the 'All the colors of the rainbow' Fanfic Challenge Round 14 on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. **

**I have to thank ilovetvalot for letting me join even though I was a late entry and for giving me such a fantastic sentence :) **

**Please R&R **

**Enjoy! **

…

Emily sat down on the window seat in her bedroom. The bright afternoon sun filtered through the wide windows, bathing the room in golden hues. With her silk robe wrapped tightly around her, she placed her head back and closed her eyes.

She let out a sigh as she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Quickly she brushed it away and shook her head. She opened her eyes and looked over at her bed where her sheets laid crumpled and unmade.

She felt more tears threaten to fall and she looked away from the bed. She stared out the window instead. Looking down she could see children playing in the park that was behind her apartment complex. It was a warm, sunny, summer day, probably one of the nicest so far that summer but Emily was too upset to see the beauty of the day.

In fact today had to be the worst day of her life and she had only been awake for a few hours.

She had slept with her boss.

It didn't matter that she had been practically in love with him for the last year, or the fact that she was pretty sure he felt the same way. With just one too many beers she had ruined her whole relationship with someone she cared deeply about.

Sure he had been drunk too and he had, very much so, participated in their drunken love making but what he didn't do was stupidly suggest the morning after that they try to make the relationship work, and then be harshly shot down.

Emily was humiliated. She didn't know how she could ever look Aaron in the eye again. He probably hated her.

"Damn it!" Emily hissed as her restraint broke and more tears streamed down her face.

She had been perfectly happy hiding her feelings from the man…well maybe not perfectly but still it was better than letting him know about them and making a fool out of herself.

Damn Garcia and Morgan for suggesting they go out drinking in the first place and then ditching her so that she was left alone with Aaron. On the one rare occasion that he decided to come with them instead of staying at the office to do paperwork.

Damn him for being her superior and the rules against fraternization between Bureau employees.

Damn him for being so responsible, so strong, so intelligent, so sweet when no one else was around and so incredibly sexy.

_Thump, thump, thump._

Emily looked over at her open bedroom door, the same door Aaron had stormed out of a little over an hour ago. She frowned at the sound of the knocking coming from the entrance to her apartment "And damn it I'm not answering the door!" she grumbled.

She took a deep breath and pulled her feet up so that she could rest her head on her knees. She just wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole; she didn't think she could ever go into work again.

_THUMP, THUMP, THUMP. _

"What the hell?" Emily wondered aloud as she got to her feet, who could possibly be so instant to see her on a Saturday?

Looking down Emily tightened the knot on her robe as she made her way to the front door. Standing up a bit straighter she looked out of the peephole and gasped at what she saw. She quickly flung open the door and stood speechless, looking out into the hall.

Aaron was standing there with his white dress shirt crinkled and creased; one side was tucked in while the other hung loose. His hair was a mess and he had a bloody cut above his eyebrow. His appearance was altogether disheveled.

"My god Aaron!" Emily said, finally snapping out of her speechless state "What happened?"

Aaron didn't answer; instead he stepped forward before she could continue and pulled her into his arms, he covered her mouth with his own and kissed her fiercely.

Emily was surprised at first but quickly got over it and moaned into the kiss.

Emily was the first to pull away as she took a deep breath; she stared up at Aaron questioningly. "Are you okay?" she asked, her hand coming up to gently caress his cheek.

"I've never been better" Aaron responded, giving her a goofy grin that she had never seen him wear before.

"Are you sure?" she asked, worry evident in her tone "because you're acting kind of strange, and you have a sizeable cut on your forehead."

"Oh…" Aaron said like he had just remembered something and he brought his hand up to the cut "…yeah I got in a bit of an accident."

Emily's eyes widened "What…?" she began but before she could freak out completely Aaron shook his head and chuckled.

"Don't worry; I'm fine…in fact, that accident was the best thing that ever happened to me?" Aaron said.

Emily frowned "Did you hit your head? Were you checked over by a paramedic before you came here? Maybe we should get you to the hospital because you're not making much sense."

Aaron just laughed again, he leaned down a placed a light kiss on Emily's lips. "I didn't hit my head and I don't need to go to the hospital," he said pulling away "I've never felt so clear headed in my life."

Emily just stared at him blankly.

Aaron smiled and began to explain "I was almost home when I came to a set of lights. I wasn't really thinking…or rather I was over thinking, the only thing I could think about since I left your apartment was you and what the consequences of our actions would mean. Since I was so absorbed in my own thoughts I ran a red light and a car that was coming in the other direction slammed into the passenger's side of my vehicle…"

"Oh Aaron…" Emily said cutting him off, she felt horrible that she was the reason he had run the red light.

Aaron shook his head "Just let me finish."

Emily bit her lip but nodded.

"I was in shock as I sat in my car, I hadn't even realized what had happened until there was a man knocking on the window of my car, asking me if I was okay. I got out of the car with some help from the man and just leaned against my car once I was out, taking in what had just happened."

Aaron frowned "I couldn't believe how stupid I had been. I overreacted this morning and then I went running out of your apartment in a panic. I could have killed someone! Thankfully the guy in the other car was okay."

"Once the police came and reported the accident, I made sure the other guy had my insurance information so I could pay for the damage to his car. Thankfully they didn't find me criminally negligent. Anyway the paramedics did come but after a quick check over when they suggested I should go to the hospital, I knew I couldn't."

Aaron stopped talking and looked down at Emily seriously "I could have died Emily. When I left your apartment this morning I wasn't thinking of what's really important. I was thinking of you being my subordinate and that it would be considered taking advantage of you. I was thinking about what Strauss would say and how everyone else at the BAU would react."

Aaron placed his hands on Emily's shoulders "I wasn't thinking about the last few months and how I've grown to feel for you. I wasn't thinking of either of our happiness, or how great we could be together."

"As I sat in my car right after the accident, in that quiet moment before everything becomes real again, I realized, life's too short to waste it." Aaron looked her right in the eye "Life is too short to deny myself being with you when I love you as much as I do."

Emily's heart almost stopped at his confession "Are you serious?" she asked, she couldn't believe it could be true.

As an answer Aaron pulled her into his arms again and kissed her passionately "I've never been more serious in my life" he stated when he pulled away.

Emily laughed, she knew for Aaron that was saying something.

She gave him another quick peck before she grabbed his hand and led him to the bathroom where she kept her first aid kit.


End file.
